Give Your 'About Us' Page a Little More Respect

A check of your Web site analytics is likely to reveal that your "About Us" page is one of the top three or four pages that your prospects visit. But even though it receives all this attention from visitors, the About Us page is usually the weakest on content -- cut-and-paste mission and vision statements, a few photos of the leadership team, and done.

The title of the About Us page may suggest that it's all about your company, but that's not really the case. The About Us page should be all about serving your visitor.

Think about a likely scenario: Visitors get to your Web site through a Web search, paid ad or an e-mail that you sent. They hit whichever page you linked to, whether a landing page or the service page that you are promoting. After they see that you deliver the services that can potentially solve their problem, they want to see if you are likable. So, they go to the About Us page.

Your visitors are looking for validation that you are the type of firm that they can trust, but also -- and perhaps more importantly -- that you would be pleasant to work with. Which is why the About Us page should really be all about how you work with customers.

Show Your Personality
Of all the pages on your Web site, the About Us page should connect with prospects on a personal level. Avoid gobbledygook -- don't try to impress with big words and technical terms. Use a conversational tone to show your personality and build rapport.

A few ideas to build a personal connection with your visitors:

• Share the human side of your history. Why was the business started and how has it grown?
• Videos with customers and employees, or, better yet, employees and customers together.
• Stories of community involvement and charity support.   

Building confidence is also important. Post the awards you have won to validate your relationships with vendors and dedication to excellence. Facts and figures about your team, like certifications and years of experience, demonstrate the expertise of people prospects are likely to work with if they engage your firm.   

The Perils of the Leadership Page
Partners have varying views on the importance of a leadership page. Some think that it is self-serving and avoid it, while others believe that it establishes trust by presenting the backgrounds of the people behind the promises. There is no right answer, but there is a risk. Buyers come in all sizes, shapes, colors and sexes. If the pictures on your leadership page don't represent diversity, you may be sending an unintended message.

A welcome trend in About Us sections is to display photos of everyone in the business, not just the leadership. Photos of past customer events, team-building exercises and everyday work can go a long way in showing the "real" face of your business. 

The About Us page plays an important role in your Web site presence. Prospects want to know more about your organization than just what services and solutions you offer. To engage with you further than a Web site visit, they need to feel comfortable that you are the type of firm that they want to work with.

How do you engage your Web site visitors? Add a comment below or send me a note and let's share the knowledge.

Posted by Barb Levisay on February 12, 2014